


Week One: a night at the movies

by pairatime



Series: Jake's College AU [2]
Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: AU, College, Gen, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 11:51:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4434440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pairatime/pseuds/pairatime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jake’s night at the Movie doesn’t end the way he’s hoped.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Week One: a night at the movies

_My name is Jake Berenson and I’m a college student and I can tell you my name. I used to lead the human resistance against the Yeerk Empire, then I couldn’t have told you my name. But then we won and life needed to move on, and the others have, and now at last I have started to as well, I’m going to college like any other 18 year old. But sometime that easier done then others. Sometimes the past just doesn’t want to stay there._

***

“Are you still working on your math?” Crystal asked as she leaned against the doorway and looked at Jake.

Jake looked up from the books and papers he’d been pouring over for more then a couple of hours, “are polynomials important?” he asked as he leaned back and rubbed his eyes.

“Polynomials? Just a little, I’m just glad the school only requires us to take one class of it.”

“I wish I only needed this one, but this one is just to get me up to college level,” 

“I’m glad I’m not in your shoes, but tonight some of us were going to see a movie, relax. Want to come with us?” she asked.

“Sure, I could use a break,” Jake said sliding his notes into his math book and standing up, “What movie we watching?”

“That part we’re still talking about,” Crystal said as she walked back into the main room with Jake behind her.

The main room was filled with Mike, Rich and Mary lying around on the sofas arguing about what movie to see, “I still say _Zoolander_ ,” Mary said, “What do you say Jake?”

“No _The Fast and the Furious_ ,” Rich countered.

“Yeah man! Fast cars and hot women!” Mike added as he grinned.

“Some of us have already seen that one guys,” Crystal said as she sat next to Rich, “What about you Jake any movies you’ve wanted to see?”

“Yeah let’s ask the frosh,” Mike said as he turned to look at Jake.

“Well the frosh hasn’t been to a movie in a bit so I don’t know what’s out there but fast cars and women sounds good to me,” Jake said as he stood behind the couch with Rich and Crystal on it,” What one was that?”

“ _The Fast and the Furious_ man, I’ve heard it’s great,” Rich said.

“It was good, and Paul Walker and Vin Diesel are worth seeing again I guess,” Crystal added as she stood up.

“Fine but next time no action movies,” Mary said standing, “and Jake’s driving me in his car.”

“Now that’s not fair, if we watch some chick flick can I ride with him? I’ll trade,” Rich said completely seriously.

“That would be such a good deal man,” Mike said supporting Rich, “One day you’re going to tell us just how you got you’re hands on a Jaguar men, how rich is your family.”

“Don’t I get a say in who rides in my car?” Jake asked as he stepped into his room and grabbed his keys.

“Jake you get to drive it,” Crystal told him, “but lucky they’re willing to just ride in it. Now let’s go watch a movie guys.”

***

_Sometime I think it would have been easier if I hadn’t taken the Jaguar but if I’d turned it down I’m sure that Marco would have killed me and it’s a Jaguar, special made for me. That’s not something you give back. It’s great to own the only Jaguar that doesn’t have a Jaguar on the front dash but a tiger, Siberian of course._

***

“That was too short,” Mary said as Jake pulled his Jag into a spot next to Crystal’s Jetta, “How about after the movie you show me just how fast this car can go Jake,” She suggested as she ran her finger over Jake’s hand on the wheel before she opened the door and existed the car.

“I’ll think about it,” Jake told her as he exited his own door.

“How was the ride, Mary?” Crystal asked with a sly smile.

“I’m looking forward to the ride home, or somewhere,” Mary said giving Jake a look.

“Good luck man,” Rich told Jake as he leaned on Crystal’s Jetta.

“I-It’s not like that,” Jake said, his face turning slightly red.

“Why not?” Mary asked turning her smile into a pouting as she looked at Jake.

“As much as I love watching the frosh squirm let’s get in there before we miss the previews,” Mike said as he pointed at the cinema behind him.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” Jake said as he locked his car and started walking toward the building.

After getting their tickets and entering the cinema they sat together in one of the middle rows. Rich and Crystal slipped in first with Jake in the middle; Mary even pushed Mike out of the way to sit next to Jake with Mike on the other side of her.

“How long is this movie?” Rich asked as he looked over at the others.

“Shhh, the previews are starting,” Mike loudly whispered as the previews for the _Fellowship of the Ring_ started.

“Come on you’ve seen this one before, we know you’ll be here opening day Mike,” Crystal said looking over at the dark hair man.

“And I’ll be right with him,” Mary through out as she watched the previews.

“It’s a date then,” Mike said as he stretched out his hand over the back of Mary’s seat.

“Maybe,” Mary responded with a smile.

“Guy’s I think this preview’s new,” Crystal said as a new preview started, first showing a pan-over of a construction yard.

Jake knew what it was the moment he saw it, comment’s from Marco letters requesting his involvement all came together, “Animorphs,” Jake whispered, his heart pounding in his chest. He made it halfway through the preview before it happened, he saw him and he had to get out, he needed to get away.

“Jake, watch the feet.”

“What’s up with you’re boy Rich.”

***

_As soon as I saw him on the screen I had to get out of there. I thought I could get through a short trailer but once I saw him I just, I just couldn’t, for a moment I was back in the war, the pressure, the terror, and the rush and I couldn’t stand it. The next thing I knew I was driving down a road in the middle of no where. I just keep driving for over an hour until I found an empty field. I parked in the middle and just sat. It was a half hour later when a saw a dog playing at the far end of the field. I decided to morph and join her before heading home; I just needed to be happy, hopelessly unthinkingly happy even if only for a couple hours._

***

“How was the movie?” Jake asked as he walked across the court yard approaching the table the Rich was sitting on.

“It was good, some really nice races,” Rich said as he looked over at Jake. “You okay? We were a little concerned about you.”

“Sorry about that, I just had to get out of there,” Jake answered as he sat down.

“You want to talk about it? Mary said you might.”

“Mary? Why would she-“

“I said you’re from L.A. to explain why you left. Mary’s taken a few psych classes and said you might need to talk about it. That you should be talking to someone about it.”

“She’s not the only one that’s said so, they must all think I’m nuts,” Jake said as he leaned back against the table and looked up at the dark night sky.

“Don’t sweat it; more then a few students come from LA, a few were even there when it all went down. We all know someone that had to deal with it and don’t worry about Mary, I’m pretty sure she still wants you.”

“Darn, I was hoping this was good for something.”

“No luck there, but you should tell them, they’re going to find out. With the movie coming out soon and A-day in a few months, by spring your face is going to be everywhere. Heck anyone from my class is going to recognize you from your book cover, maybe not having to hide who you are will help.” Rich told Jake as he too turned to look up at the sky along side Jake.

“Yeah I know, I just don’t want them acting different around me, but I guess they will now anyways won’t they,” Jake stated more then asked.

“Yeah, they will. Can I ask what it was? Visser Three?” Rich asked.

“No, no, him. I’m fine with seeing him, Alloran even a pretty okay guy. So that’s okay, no it wasn’t him,” Jake said as he looked at his hands, “It was Tom, I saw Tom, or his actor anyways, he doesn’t even look that much like him. But I-he was playing basketball with a teen, it was him. And then I wasn’t watched the preview,” Jake said as he drew up his feet wrapping his arm around them, “I was on the pool ship, I was watching my brother being killed by my cousin, I was standing in my driveway, I was watching Tom, real Tom he was trying to warn me. And then he was dead,” Jake stuttered to a stop, “On my orders, they’re both dead, my brother and my cousin, because of me.”

“That’s...you saved the world, Jake,” Rich said as he nervously put a hand on Jake’s shoulder, “You had to, you did what you had to.”

“I know, I know that Rachel understood. She knew why I asked her too. And I know that Tom would rather be dead then under that Yeerk controlled forever, but…but it doesn’t help,” Jake whispered as he looked over at Rich.

“I’ve never been there but I know you did what you could, you were 16 for Christ sake. You had to fight off an alien empire when I was just learning to drive, you did the best you could,” Rich said from where he sat next to Jake.

“Did I?” Jake asked, looking up at the stars again.

***

_I want to be normal, just an avenge guy and some days I am. A college guy that parties until three and sleeps until noon and then has to do his math homework before class. But sometime’s I’m not, sometimes I’m the guy that sits in the background watching, the guy that doesn’t want to lose control by drinking. The guy that has to make sure everyone is safe even if I know they are. Sometime I just can’t leave my past in the past but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try. Right?_

To be continued….


End file.
